Amritsar: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh addressed critical concerns facing his state during the 31st meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Amritsar. He pressed for immediate solutions to address Himachal's interests and requested a special relief package to bail Himachal out from the damage.
Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted the urgent need for a special relief package for Himachal Pradesh, which has suffered extensive damage due to heavy rains, floods, and landslides, resulting in a loss of nearly Rs. 12,000 crore and 450 lives.
He praised the swift response of the state government and its citizens in launching relief and rescue operations and establishing the Disaster Relief Fund-2023 for rehabilitation efforts.
Sukhu emphasized the need to amend the existing norms governing disaster relief funds at the national and state levels.
He argued that these norms adversely affect the reconstruction and rehabilitation process, particularly for hilly states like Himachal with challenging terrain.
He called for practical amendments to provide more substantial financial assistance during disasters.
The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the governments of Haryana and Rajasthan for their financial assistance in relief and rehabilitation efforts. 
He requested cooperation from the Punjab government for the transfer of the 100 MW Shanan Hydroelectric project, whose lease is set to expire in March 2024, and appealed to the Central Government for support in this matter.
Regarding Himachal's 7.19 percent share in the projects of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), Sukhu advocated for a regular full-time member from Himachal on the BBMB Board of Directors.
He also called for a 12 percent free energy royalty to be provided to Himachal in BBMB projects and an increase in royalty from 12 percent to 30 percent in hydro power projects of central undertakings, including NHPC, NTPC, and SJVNL.
Sukhu urged the release of the outstanding amount of Rs 4000 crore from BBMB in accordance with the Supreme Court's decision.
Sukhu stressed the importance of implementing an early warning system and conducting inundation mapping before releasing water from reservoirs in the state to prevent devastating consequences like those seen in the recent disaster caused by the sudden release of water from Pong Dam, Pandoh Dam, and Parvati-3 reservoir.
In addition to these issues, the Chief Minister called for the resolution of border disputes between Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, particularly highlighting disputes in Chamba district and Sarchu.
He expressed hope that the Northern Zonal Council meeting would strengthen cooperation among member states and promote economic and social empowerment.
The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of Haryana and Punjab, as well as senior officials from various states and union territories.
